One family's move from normal city life to one acre in the outskirts. Life is easier now that we are 'weird.'

Monday, April 16, 2012

Paper mache the garden- keep weeds gone!

I read an article a while back in Mother Earth News on using newspaper to control weeds. Today I am testing this idea in my strawberry patch. I plan to keep the patch for at leas the next 4 years, so the less weeding I need to do is best. I hoed previous weeks and lay down a double layer of newspaper around the plants. It was slightly breezy today so I wet the paper as I went with the garden hose. When the strawberry patch looked as though it had been paper mached by a kindergartner I put down a layer of hay that has been composting for the past month. The paper should keep the weeds from popping through and the hay will mulch, fertilize and help to keep moisture in. I should add the hay was bedding and left over goat feed that has been well poo'd on by chickens, goats and rabbits. Hence the easy fertilizer! I will update with results in a few months.